Insights into Dental Health in Seniors

May 31st is National Smile Day! In honor of this event, and to help keep all our loved ones’ smiles bright and healthy, the team at UMC at Bristol Gen has some insight into common dental issues that seniors should watch out for.

·         Gum Disease – Poor dental healthcare, smoking and tobacco use, poor diet, diabetes, cancers and anemia, and poorly-fitting dentures and bridges can all lead to gum disease. This can cause tooth loss, and difficulty eating, and has been linked to heart health risks

·         Darkened teeth – Teeth can change color as we age. Yellowing can mean that the outer enamel is wearing very thin, allowing the yellowish dentin to show through. Brown or blackened teeth can be caused by long-term tobacco use, food, and drink stains, or tooth decay.

·         Dry mouth – Low saliva production in the mouth can leave your mouth feeling dry, sticky, and painful. This can be caused by medications, cancer treatments, and certain health conditions. Dry mouth can increase the risks of gum disease, halitosis (bad breath), and infections, as saliva cleans and sanitizes the mouth.

·         Stomatitis – This is when candida albicans, a type of fungus, develops in the mouth and causes inflammation in the tissue. This can be caused by poor dental hygiene or ill-fitting dentures.

·         Loss of taste – Loss of taste can be caused by illnesses, dentures, certain medications (allopurinol, captopril, enalapril, nitro-glycerine, diltiazem, dipyridamole, nifedipine, hydrochlorothiazide, lisinopril, lithium, lovastatin, and levodopa) and advancing age.

 

How to boost dental health in seniors

So, what can you do to help support great oral health and prevent these conditions?

·         Brush your teeth twice a day in a polishing, not scrubbing motion, using a fluoride toothpaste

·         Floss your teeth once a day

·         Visit the dentist or oral hygienist every year, if not every 6 months, to check on the condition of your teeth, your fillings, and oral soft tissues

·         Be aware of the side effect of treatments or medications and increase visits to the dentist if needed

·         Have dentures and bridges checked on a regular basis and properly fitted to your mouth

·         Watch out for redness, inflammation, discomfort, bleeding, and darkening of the teeth

·         Speak to your doctor if your medication is causing dry mouth, bad breath, or loss of taste

·         Visit the dentist as soon as you notice pain or loose teeth

·         Eat a healthy and nutritious diet, avoiding sugary foods

·         Eat foods recommended for dentures/bridges, etc.

·         Drink plenty of water, especially after drinking coffee or red wine

Quit smoking

Bristol Glen is one of the leading retirement communities in the state, providing independent and assisted living, as well as long term care and rehab, in beautiful Sussex County, NJ. We offer a beautiful and welcoming space for seniors who need additional care and assistance to live a full and abundant life. Our nursing team is compassionate, fully trained, and ready to assist with stroke treatments for seniors as well as managing dementia, diabetes, and other medical conditions.

For more information on Bristol Glen and why we are a unique provider of assisted living in Sussex County, NJ, please contact us today or visit our website at https://bristolglen.umcommunities.org/

Original blog posted on https://bristolglen.umcommunities.org/bristol-glen/insights-into-dental-health-in-seniors/

Avoiding Scams During COVID-19

As the world works to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, people are trying to find trustworthy information about the spread of the disease, how they can protect themselves, how they can get tested, and more. The spammers and scammers of the world, of course, are using the current situation to take advantage of people, including many seniors who are less familiar with technology and the ways of these internet tricksters.

Here at Bristol Glen in Sussex County New Jersey, we’ve seen a few different types of scams making their rounds and our associates remain on the alert to help our residents stay cyber safe.

Phishing without a Fishing Pole?

One of the most common types of scams is called a “phishing” scam (like “fishing”; get it?) In this type of scam, someone sends an unsolicited email, text message to you. The message tries to scare you into clicking on a link and then give away your personal information.

There are many variations of this basic scam, that leverage the general fear around COVID-19:

• Fabricated notices from health organizations (e.g., the CDC or local/state health departments)
• Fake updates from an employer about policies or procedures to address the risk
• Phony websites containing maps and dashboards
• Information about protecting yourself, your children or your community that contains malicious links or attachments
• Charitable appeals to help victims of the virus which are not legitimate
• Special deals on hand sanitizer or masks or even drugs that prevent the virus
  
  

Coronavirus offers a particular opportunity for fraudsters and scammers because there’s so much information flying around at the moment, and it’s hard to know what’s correct. Scammers capitalize on that uncertainty, the information overload, and the general anxiety we’re all feeling.

Recognizing COVID-19 Scams

You don’t have to be a computer expert to stay cyber safe during COVID-19. With a little know-how and a little common sense, 99% of the phishing scams you encounter can be avoided. Here’s a mental checklist you should go through whenever you read any kind of an email with a link in it:

1. Look at the sender’s email address, not just the name. It is easy to fake a name but not easy to face a domain. For instance, a message from sales@apple.com is probably legit but a message from apple.423952934820390J.com IS NOT VALID. Below is an example of a spammer trying to pretend to be Apple. Both the sender email address and the recipient address are suspect.
   
   
2. Never open attachments in strange emails. This is how spammers can get malicious software to load on your computer.
   
   
3. Spam emails are often composed by people who aren’t native English speakers. You should be wary if you pick up some of the following mistakes:

• Poor spelling
• Clumsy phrasing
• Bad grammar
• Incorrect spacing on emails
  
  

4. Examine the URL of any link you click on carefully. Never click on a link in an email that says “Click here”. Make sure the domain of any link you click on is trusted. You can usually see the link behind the text by hovering your mouse pointer over it.
   
   
5. Make sure your computer and your phone are all up-to-date. A lot of scams will also try to get malware onto your phone, laptop or desktop computer. Make sure you perform regular updates. If your device needs anti-virus software – and that’s Windows, Macs, and Android devices – make sure that’s up-to-date as well.

Most importantly, If you think you have been scammed, report it to the police immediately. Most companies have a place you can also report scams that occur in their name. If your financial information or your bank’s have been involved, let your bank or credit card provider know immediately.

Senior Communities Like UMC are on the Front Lines, Preventing Scams

Because senior citizens are more susceptible to internet and technology scams, our associates remain on the alert to help residents avoid and catch any attempts that would make them victims of online scammers. It’s part of keeping them safe.

For more information on our senior assisted living Sussex County New Jersey, please contact us today or visit our website at https://bristolglen.umcommunities.org

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/avoiding-scams-during-covid-19/